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Empowering PeopleWed, 19 Dec 2018 00:19:45 +0000en-AUhourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.1All over the globe public housing is under siegehttp://the-pen.co/public-housing-still-being-privatised/
http://the-pen.co/public-housing-still-being-privatised/#respondTue, 18 Dec 2018 23:37:31 +0000http://the-pen.co/?p=13400The following is from Save Public Housing Victoria Have you seen the ABC documentary about Waterloo called “There Goes Our Neighbourhood?” Quote – “All over...

Have you seen the ABC documentary about Waterloo called “There Goes Our Neighbourhood?”

Quote – “All over the globe public housing is under siege.”

And now it’s Australia’s turn….

Whichever major party is in power across Australian states – the despicable covert privatisation of Public Housing and public land is likely to continue, because what’s driving it – is money, power and mega-profits.

Homelessness of course will worsen!! The homeless, to our shame, are our internal refugees…

Personal testimonials (1)

At a meeting in Gronn Place in West Brunswick earlier this year, we heard from Louise who spoke about her sister’s experience in Miller’s Point in Sydney.

“When the government said they wanted to “renew” Miller’s Point, they said the main reason was that it was costing too much in maintenance. I can tell you right now, they spent nothing on maintenance. People had to paint their own places, had to replace their own stoves. The government spent nothing.”

“In Miller’s Point, to get them out, they offered them the world – not telling them they were finding them alternative accommodation by throwing those (public) tenants out. The same pretext – they said to existing tenants, “You’ll only be out for 3 monthsand we’ll fix the place up”. In the meantime, they brought in people from Miller’s Point.”

“There’s two reasons why people live in Public Housing. The first reason is they choose to because of their community. Secondly, they can’t afford any other accommodation, either temporarily or permanently. There has to be a place in our society for people who can’t afford to buy or pay high rents. Everybody is a citizen.”

Regarding the displacement process underway in Melbourne’s inner-city under the Labor government…

Louise: “People have mentioned the government coming along with pieces of paper and smiles on their faces. What happens is they tell lie after lie. The minute people give up their place in Public Housing – they’re heading down the road of homelessness for a number of reasons.”

“There were families living up there in Miller’s Point, and in the end the government said, “We don’t have any 3 bedrooms” and then “We don’t have any 2 bedrooms”. What’s a family supposed to do? Throw their teenagers out on the street? This is the sort of thing that is going on”.

“I’ve been speaking to people about this issue and they say, ‘Oh, what’s the government doing?’ We definitely have to get the word out there, about what the government’s doing,and expose their ‘solutions’.”

In summing up…”Now there’s no reason for this. It’s simply greed and a land grab. And it’s also tactics. They’ll look at how strong people are, how solid people are about this. And if they think they can come in and get away with this, they will. Now I have a very good feeling that people are going to stand on this, because we are at a stage where people know economically things are not good. Not so good for the adults, not so good for the children. So people now have to hang on to what they’ve got and not take the word of the government that they’re going to do the right thing byyou.”

In summing up…”Now there’s no reason for this. It’s simply greed and a land grab. And it’s also tactics. They’ll look at how strong people are, how solid people are about this. And if they think they can come in and get away with this, they will. Now I have a very good feeling that people are going to stand on this, because we are at a stage where people know economically things are not good. Not so good for the adults, not so good for the children. So people now have to hang on to what they’ve got and not take the word of the government that they’re going to do the right thing byyou.”

The emptying of public housing from public housing estates in Melbourne is proceeding quickly under Labor, and we are concerned that following the major swing to Labor in November’s state election, the state government might up the ante even further …

Personal testimonial (2)

In Victoria we are hearing similar stories. Public tenant Neville (“my home is my castle”) was told that if he and his family move out, they will be able to return in four months’ time…

Councillor Sue Bolton from Moreland Council, “There is no way public tenants will be returning in four months’ time. We know it takes YEARS for these sites to be rebuilt. This is scurrilous information for public tenants to be told.”

Personal testimonial (3)

Retired engineer and member of FOPHV, Richard Lasek, also talks of public tenants being told that their homes need to be renovated, and that they will be returning as soon as the renovations are completed. These tenants were very confused because they had already heard in the news, and from other communications with the department,that their public housing estate was going to be demolished…

To quote a public tenant from Waterloo [NSW] -“What’s going on?”

Vulnerable people with disabilities, migrants with limited English, elderly pensioners, and families need us to pay attention, in order to ensure thattheir human rights are protected. This is Australia – and the public do care about what is happening toPublic Housing and the fate of public tenants.

Other pro-public housing and resident action groups, have started collecting stories and anecdotes from the tenants, which I think is a very good idea. Too many government-funded organisations are turning a blind eye to the plight of public tenants, including church based charities.

Congratulations to Labor for their decisive win in the Victorian State Elections. Richard Wynne is the new Housing Minister, and we will be making an appointment to speak with him in the New Year.

]]>http://the-pen.co/public-housing-still-being-privatised/feed/0Prime Minister to set up anti-corruption commission with no teethhttp://the-pen.co/australia-wants-canberra-corruption-taken-on/
http://the-pen.co/australia-wants-canberra-corruption-taken-on/#respondTue, 18 Dec 2018 21:47:54 +0000http://the-pen.co/?p=13393Contributed from New South Wales Last week Prime Minister Scott Morrison proposed the creation of a Commonwealth Integrity Commission, after months of refusing to do...

Last week Prime Minister Scott Morrison proposed the creation of a Commonwealth Integrity Commission, after months of refusing to do so.

The intensity of public pressure and loss of a parliamentary majority forced the issue.

It is tempting to see this as a major back down. But things are not always quite what they seem. There is no intention to set up a commission to properly tackle corruption in Canberra. A smokescreen to cover up public anger against lack of action is being erected.

It’s there is black and white, in the paper submitted last Thursday, which boldly states that “the CIC will not investigate direct complaints about ministers, members of parliament or their staff received from the public at large.”

The implication is that information passed on by a whistleblower will not be followed up either.

All that the CIC will be mandated to do is take referrals from established government agencies and regulators. This means that the machinery to edit out what the government does not want pursued is in its hands. After all, these agencies operate under the guidelines provided by the government of the day.

Even if specific government direction does not exist, hurdles and delays conveniently in place, to make it much harder for any complaints to be heard.

The Federal Police, for instance, has a mandate to investigate corruption. But its track record is nothing to brag about. If those who have some information to pass on, have to go to the Federal Police, and wait for them to build a case, and pass it on to the CIC, it may be a very long wait, if anything is done at all.

This will send out the message that making a complaint is a waste of time.

Secondly, any case coming under “suspicion,” must meet a perceived threshold test of criminality on paper. But how is this to be tested?

Those involved in corruption do not put their behaviour out there in public to be seen. Cracking cases must involve following up leaks and pulling aside the cloak of secrecy. The CIC will lack the power to do this.

Thirdly, even if a case reaches the CIC, all it is empowered to do is hand over the case to a special prosecutor, who will decide whether a criminal case should take place. Who appoints the special prosecutor?

This is a CIC without teeth.

Every indication is that there is significant corruption in Canberra. The high number of multi-million contracts, widespread connection between those in the political system and the corporate world, and the penetration of the business lobbyists provide fertile territory to induce payments for favours.

It is naive to suggest that it deosn’t exist, when rising corrupt and improper behaviour is a growing feature of business and political life across Australia.

]]>http://the-pen.co/australia-wants-canberra-corruption-taken-on/feed/0Video: 15-year-old climate activist calls out world leaders for inactionhttp://the-pen.co/real-power-belongs-to-the-people/
http://the-pen.co/real-power-belongs-to-the-people/#respondTue, 18 Dec 2018 00:37:04 +0000http://the-pen.co/?p=13380“You say you love your children above all else, yet you are stealing their futures right before their very eyes.” – This 15-year-old activist just...

“You say you love your children above all else, yet you are stealing their futures right before their very eyes.” – This 15-year-old activist just called out world leaders for their global inaction on climate change.

]]>http://the-pen.co/real-power-belongs-to-the-people/feed/0COP24 summit finishes and produces joint statement committing to lifting response to climate change by 2020http://the-pen.co/more-action-is-needed/
http://the-pen.co/more-action-is-needed/#respondMon, 17 Dec 2018 23:19:18 +0000http://the-pen.co/?p=13372Contributed by Ben Wilson and Joe Montero The COP24 summit in Poland has finally come out with an agreement. The Unites States and Australia celebrated...

The COP24 summit in Poland has finally come out with an agreement. The Unites States and Australia celebrated coal. Brazil’s new Jair Bolsonaro regime showed its climate warming skepticism. Oil producing countries Russia, Saudi and Kuwait, argued to slow things down. Despite this, some progress was made.

Measures were supposed to be adopted to step up the implementation of 2015 Paris Agreement. But a compromise was made to delay this till 2020, when the next summit takes place in Chile. The agreement says that commitments already entered into must have been met by then.

The current path could result in the temperature rising by up to 3-4 degrees Celsius, according to the science. This suggests that the global political establishment is not yet aligning with the science.

Discussion in Poland concentrated on standardising reporting and improving transparency. Both of these are needed. But this should not delay stepping up action.

It is understandable that countries want to minimise the negative impacts of making a transition. This is best achieved through cooperation between nations and mutual assistance. The longer it takes to do enough, the higher the cost will be.

Failure to act on a sufficient scale will destroy many species, and upset the life cycle, on which human beings are also dependent.

Changing weather patterns will mean that not enough food will be available to feed the human population. Rising sea levels will mean small countries disappearing and many cities being inundated. Economic collapse, the failure of political institutions and social turmoil will be inevitable.

What is clear, is that reliance on the political elite is not enough. Only when there is sufficient pressure coming up from below, is movement on the political stage possible. The little progress that has been made has come about this way. It is only the beginning, and much more is needed to lift the game.

There must be a turning away from unrestricted capitalism that always puts the private bottom line in first place, towards the adoption of a cooperative effort. which builds new and sustainable economies, that recognise we must live in harmony with our environment and social needs.

Poorer countries demanded compensation from those responsible for the build up of carbon emissions. This was rejected by the western industrialised countries, fearing that they would have to pay heavily for years to come. Perhaps this is so. But it remains that poorer counties need assistance to help them move forward, and this cannot be ignored.

It may not be the ideal result. At least almost 200 countries have agreed that more must be done to turn away disaster.At least, there is some progress here.

By the time of the summit, the pressure of the global people’s movement, has resulted in more than 1000 institutions in 37 countries have joining a pledge, to divest from fossil fuel. This involves $8 trillion worth of investment, and it includes major banks, insurance companies, and churches. The World Bank announced that it will invest $200 billion to help poor countries cope with damage resulting from climate change.

None of this would have come about without the weight of public opinion, boosted by a growing worldwide and active movement.

There may still be a long way to go. The target to lift action to a new level is 2020. It can be achieved, if we all get together and make it happen.

]]>http://the-pen.co/more-action-is-needed/feed/0Labor National Conference has raised some very important mattershttp://the-pen.co/australia-needs-a-movment-for-change/
http://the-pen.co/australia-needs-a-movment-for-change/#commentsMon, 17 Dec 2018 02:34:03 +0000http://the-pen.co/?p=13358Contributed by Jim Hayes As Australia goes to the dogs under the Morrison government, the Australian Labor Party had its national conference in Adelaide this...

As Australia goes to the dogs under the Morrison government, the Australian Labor Party had its national conference in Adelaide this last weekend.

Many were looking forward to this marking, not only a decisive break from the policies of the Coalition, but the bipartisanship of the past that has brought to Australia neoliberal economics and crueler government.

Some welcome policies were announced. Among them promises to take on more refugees, impose greater penalties on employers who steal super from their employees, talk with first Nation Australians about constitutional recognition and build 250,000 new affordable homes over ten years and something was said about reducing negative gearing. The conference adopted a policy that will stop selling arms to Israel.

But on many big ticket items, little or nothing was said. This conference had the air of a stage managed affair, with unity built on saying as little as possible. It held onto a strategy of keeping low and allowing Scott Morrison to hang himself.

Critics have pointed out that this strategy risks failing to inspire people. The risk is real. Although the polls suggest Labor will rock in next year, they also show that Labor leader Bill Shorten is not particularly trusted.

Australia shares the worldwide phenomenon of a growing part of the population not trusting politicians of the major parties. It has its own particular causes here. The Coalition is suffering the most, and it also is affecting Labor. Unless it can show that it is sufficiently different, Labor stands to suffer extensively when it government. We have seen this happen to social democratic governments in Europe. It will happen here too.

We are no longer in times where business as usual is good enough. There must be an acknowledgement that most are becoming worse off, our rights are going, the First Nations are moving towards Treaty as the road to equality and self-determination. Public opinion has shifted is calling calling for decisive action on tackling carbon emissions and an end to offshore detention. Australia wants greed of the banks taken on in earnest, corruption seriously tackled.

This is what is being called for. We saw groups make a noise about certain issues that we important to them at the Conference. They are not alone.

These are the issues where a clear stance is needed, to mobilise popular enthusiasm and ensure a solid base of support for changing Australia’s direction. Getting people on side depends on building trust and not merely slanging off at the other side.

No commitment was given to basic matters such as, raising reversing the fall in the wages share of national income, the minimum wage, putting into place a new and fair industrial relations system, lifting scandalously low Newstart and other insufficient pensions, putting a stop to the Adani mine and supporting a shift towards renewables, and closing offshore detention centres.

Even those who are disappointed or disgruntled, have every reason to still want the broadest possible unity against the Morrison government. Labor is an important part of this. The eye should not be taken off the ball by, attacking Labor instead of focusing on the Coalition and those who stand behind it.

But it does not mean that there should not be vigorous discussion over the direction we want Australia to move in and the specific policies needed to help us get there. The discussion incorporates how to mobilise large numbers of ordinary Australians, into a movement that goes beyond the election date next year.

Truth is, having the reigns of office in hand does not mean being able to bring about major change. A political will is important. It also needs to be backed by an Australia motivated and ready to act and turn aside efforts of vested interest to prevent change. Without this, the next Labor government may not be around for long.

]]>http://the-pen.co/australia-needs-a-movment-for-change/feed/1France’s Yellow Vests rebellion has gone on for more than four weeks and shows no sign of endinghttp://the-pen.co/this-will-not-be-stopped-so-easily/
http://the-pen.co/this-will-not-be-stopped-so-easily/#respondSun, 16 Dec 2018 22:48:39 +0000http://the-pen.co/?p=13341Contributed by Joe Montero Yellow vests protest continued throughout France for the fifth week over the weekend. This is despite some concessions made by President...

Yellow vests protest continued throughout France for the fifth week over the weekend. This is despite some concessions made by President Macron. This has not been enough. They want him to resign.

This movement has evolved into much more than a protest against a tax on fuel, to become a force calling for a major change. Perhaps this is best summed up in that there is a call for an end to government for the rich, to government for the majority. Ordinary people are seeing their living standards declining and don’t want this to continue

French President Emmanuel Macron announces a series of financial measures including a rise in minimum wage to appease the Yellow Vest protesters after four weeks of nationwide demonstrations.

Back in France, police have continued try to break up demonstrations with tear gas, water cannon, rubber bullets and flash bombs. Side street approaches, Metro rail stations and freeways leading into Paris were blocked, in order to prevent protesters from joining the main group.

The following shows protesters kneeling with hands over their heads last week, being suddenly attacked by police. This adds credence to the allegations that the riots have been sparked off by the police.

Along with the hard-line stance on the streets, Macron is betting on a divide and rule strategy. The hope is that a moderate wing of the Yellow Shirts will split off, leave the streets and accept what’s on offer. Whether this is having z major effect at this point is questionable. A lower turnout in Paris this weekend is cited by much of the media to suggest otherwise. There are other explanations. Organisers had the yellow shirts to focus on regional towns instead of Paris and this is the last week before Christmas.

This is not over by a long shot. The momentum continues and protests will resume after Christmas, where the numbers are expected to build again.

It should be clear to Macron by now, that heavy handed policing is not working. If he doesn’t listen and concede much more, the political crisis will go form bad to worse. What is going to happen is anyone’s guess. The only sure thing is that France will not go back to where it was in November.

Can the police continue. It is already known that many of them already sympathise withe the Yellow Shirt movement. If this goes on too long, it may result in officers becoming less reliable and st6art ti cross over the line.

The implications of this go much further than France. People power can make all the difference.

]]>http://the-pen.co/this-will-not-be-stopped-so-easily/feed/0Video: Never forget Grenfell say the victimshttp://the-pen.co/demanding-end-to-dangerous-cladding/
http://the-pen.co/demanding-end-to-dangerous-cladding/#respondFri, 14 Dec 2018 04:33:55 +0000http://the-pen.co/?p=13317Victims of the horrific fire step out and demand the removal call of dangerous cladding from all buildings. Video from Grenfell United

]]>http://the-pen.co/demanding-end-to-dangerous-cladding/feed/0Bolivarian movement wins big in Venezuela’s municipal electionshttp://the-pen.co/improves-the-conditions-to-move-forward/
http://the-pen.co/improves-the-conditions-to-move-forward/#respondFri, 14 Dec 2018 02:37:57 +0000http://the-pen.co/?p=13305Contributed from Victoria Venezuela has just had municipal elections and the result was a landslide victory for the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). There...

Venezuela has just had municipal elections and the result was a landslide victory for the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). There were also important wins for candidates standing for grass roots (communal) organisations, some of which are critical of the PSUV. Together this accounted for about 75 percent of the vote and the taking of 90 percent of the contested positions.

The losers were the hard-line opposition. One reason is that they are very divided. Some of the parties boycotted and their core supporters didn’t vote. This did affect the turnout. But other hard-line opposition parties did taker part. They failed to win support. The result was conclusive.

However, the supporters of the hardliners outside Venezuela, the Trump administration and the global media monopolies have chosen to remain silent. The result doesn’t suit the narrative that the Maduro government is holding on through brute force, because it does not have the support of the Venezuelan people.

When there is a serious economic crisis, a high level of sabotage and destabalisation carried out by those wanting “regime change,” the outcome has been remarkable.

International observers on the ground praised he electoral process and ruled it to be fair. They also pointed out that the checking and rechecking of votes was transparent and thorough.

The result of the elections surprised the pundits.

Perhaps the opposition’s having pushed the country into nine elections in three years and not respecting the process has something to do with it. Attempted intervention of the United States, its training of mercenaries in Columbia and elsewhere, an assassination attempt on President Maduro earlier this year and bankrolling of the opposition has outraged many and can’t be discounted either.

There is a fear of the return of the old oligarchy of the past, which presided over extreme wealth and privilege for a very few and poverty for the rest of the nation.

Within the Bolivarian camp there is a debate over the pathto the future. A major criticism of the government is what is considered its top down style, rather than building a society government from the grass roots up. These critics call for a government that listens more.

Despite differences, the two wings are united in what they see is the need to stop the return of the foreign backed oligarchy.

It remains that a major part of the electorate did not take part. This is not unique to Venezuela, nor in Venezuela own history. Nor can it be said that all of those who did not vote are opponents of the government. The reasons for the failure to vote are complex.

Regardless of this, it its something the Bolivarian movement must address and resolve, if it is going to consolidate its position.

With this win under their belts, the conditions for doing this are better.

]]>http://the-pen.co/improves-the-conditions-to-move-forward/feed/0Only Australia joins the US at pro-coal event during COP24 climate summithttp://the-pen.co/acting-like-a-puppet/
http://the-pen.co/acting-like-a-puppet/#respondThu, 13 Dec 2018 00:04:16 +0000http://the-pen.co/?p=13288Contributed from Victoria Sad to see that Australia has stood out for the wrong reason at the COP 24 summit at Katowice in Poland. The...

Sad to see that Australia has stood out for the wrong reason at the COP 24 summit at Katowice in Poland.

The badge of dubious distinction is for being the only country supporting the United States in its defence of the coal industry and opposition to real action to reduce carbon emissions.

Australia’s representatives at international forums and government have long been regarded as puppets, without a thought independent from Washington’s. This latest disgrace in the name of Australia can only confirm this view.

The cringe worthy performance was all the worse, because it was not merely lining up in a debate. Australia stood unwaveringly beside the United States, at a separate event run by that country, when every other other nation was in Poland to discuss doing more to take on the threat of global warming. Whichever ways you look at it, this was a pretty low act.

None of the other nations at the summit attended the event, called “US innovative technologies spur economic dynamism,” and designed to “showcase ways to use fossil fuels as cleanly and efficiently as possible, as well as the use of emission-free nuclear energy”.

They had good reason to stay away.

Protesters managed to get into the event and cause considerable disruption to the proceedings

Patrick Suckling, Australia’s ambassador for the environment, disgraced himself before a backdrop of the American flag, with all sorts of insincere mumbo jumbo about the need to reduce emissions. The thrust of his talk was that the fossil fuel must continue, and that carbon emissions can be stored.

While having to recognise, in the face of the overwhelming evidence, that emissions must come down, an effort was made to sidestep the issue was by talking about being technologically neutral.

Simon Bradshaw, Oxfam Australia’s climate change policy adviser, said it was “extremely disappointing” to see Australia line up behind the US in pushing a pro-coal idea.

“It is a slap in the face of our Pacific island neighbours, for whom bringing an end to the fossil fuel era is matter of survival, and who are working with determination to catalyse stronger international efforts to confront the climate crisis. And it is firmly against the wishes of an overwhelming majority of Australians,” he observed.

Wells Griffith, representing the United States was with Suckling and said the US would continue extracting fossil fuels and warned against “alarmism” about climate change.

He said, “We strongly believe that no country should have to sacrifice their economic prosperity or energy security in pursuit of environmental sustainability,” Translate this to no coal, oil or gas company should be denied from profiting.

Australia’s representative and government also betray Australia, by committing to outdated technology, which in addition to adding to the climate risk, will impose a great deal of damage to the economy. Alternative energy is already cheaper, and its cost is continuing to decline. Ongoing reliance of fossil fuels will mean a declining economy, as well as inflict serious environmental and social costs.

So long as this noxious industry continues to wield the power to buy political leader, and so long as the betrayers of Australia continue to be in the pocket of Washington, we are in for a hard time.

Australia must get rid of them, so we can take responsibility for our own future and make our contribution to ensure that the world is a greener and safer place.

]]>http://the-pen.co/acting-like-a-puppet/feed/0University of Sydney removes professor for criticism of war propaganda over Syria Iraq and Palestine.http://the-pen.co/an-act-of-censorship/
http://the-pen.co/an-act-of-censorship/#commentsWed, 12 Dec 2018 20:53:52 +0000http://the-pen.co/?p=13271The University of Sydney has suspended Professor Tim Anderson for showing students an info graphic, including a Nazi swastika over the Israeli flag. It is...

The University of Sydney has suspended Professor Tim Anderson for showing students an info graphic, including a Nazi swastika over the Israeli flag. It is nor antisemitic. The purpose was to provide a view on the nature of the Israeli government’s ongoing physical attacks on the Palestinians. Tim Anderson is appealing the suspension.

This has come about in the context, where there is also considerable opposition, to the proposal of the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation, chaired by former prime minister John Howard, to fund a course in western tradition at the university.

A group of 30 fellow academics in the university has signed an open letter criticising the university’s action and calling for academic freedom.

“The suspension of Dr Tim Anderson pending the termination of his employment is an unacceptable act of censorship and a body-blow to academic freedom at the University of Sydney,” the letter states.

Put together, the suspension and the proposed new course, indicate a turn towards using the university as a propaganda unit promoting western superiority, justifying western intervention in the rest of the world and the silencing of critics.

Below is Tim Anderson’s own brief account of what happened to him.

Yesterday [7 December] University of Sydney Provost Stephen Garton suspended me from my position as a senior lecturer and banned me from entering the university. I have worked as an academic at this University for more than 20 years and am appealing the decision to a Review Committee.

This move is the culmination of a series of failed attempts by management to restrict my public comments. I have always rejected such censorship. The latest complaint concerns my advisory analysis of the Israeli attacks on Gaza. Examine the graphic below and decide for yourself whether or how this infographic might be ‘offensive’.

These complaints, over the last 18 months, have been petty and absurd. In my view they represent an unusually aggressive regime of political censorship, in which no decent university should be involved.

Most of the management complaints have to do with my criticisms of war propaganda against Syria, Iraq and Palestine. I don’t accept such censorship.

Stephen Garton has ignored the ‘intellectual freedom’ rule of the university, which states that academic staff are entitled to ‘express unpopular or controversial views, provided that in doing so staff must not engage in harassment,vilification or intimidation’. I will point this out to the Review Committee.

I have told Provost Garton that I don’t abuse or engage in gratuitous criticism, but I do criticise dishonest propaganda harshly, when justified. I have rejected his attempts at political censorship as unprincipled.

Global Research is supporting Tim Anderson and is the publisher of his latest nook The Dirty War On Syria, though its arm Global Research Publishers, Go to the link to purchase the book at a special $15 price. It provides a compelling account of the disinformation used to justify a war of aggression.